


The Ultimatum

by cVee



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Post-Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:28:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23914573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cVee/pseuds/cVee
Summary: When Puddlemere keeper, Oliver Wood, is given an ultimatum and has to get a girlfriend before St. Andrew’s day, his concerned friend- Cho Chang- takes it upon herself to play matchmaker. Add in a potential old flame, the Weasley twins, and a Slytherin co-worker, it’s certainly a recipe for disaster.
Relationships: Cho Chang/Oliver Wood, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

Life as a Healer at St. Mungo’s, Cho Chang had long known, was no picnic. Of the many factors contributing to the rigor of their line of job, the grueling hours may be the most notable. The physical and emotional strain on them remains without parallel.

She was ready to keel over and the nearest flat surface she’d find didn’t seem to be that bad a final resting place.

A small group of deatheaters, who were still at large after the war, had been spotted by Diagon Alley. They exchanged hexes with the aurors that were instantly called upon at the site. They were successfully detained and were well on their way to Azkaban. However, being in such a public place, there had been quite a damage from the explosive hexes, a few hitting some 3 a.m. stragglers who were on their way home from the nearby pubs. Fortunately, there were no life-threatening injuries. The aurors had made sure of that. If only, Cho morosely thought, they could’ve also made sure to not involve innocent passerby’s. 

Cho had been woken up at 4 a.m. and called to the site at Diagon Alley to mend cuts, bruises and burns. She’d been running around non-stop for the past eight hours, having been immediately shoved to her next patient when she arrived at St. Mungo’s. What further put a damper to her morning was a patient who had come into the emergency room with a third degree burn on his arm after trying to flambe his breakfast with firewhisky. The thirty something man got a little frisky as soon as he saw her.

“You remind me of my fourth wife,” He had said coyly.

“Fourth wife?” She echoed.” How many have you had?” Wrong question.

“Three.” Then he did a pathetic attempt at what was (probably) supposed to be a flirty wink. She bit back the urge to tell him that winking two times at the same time didn’t constitute a wink.

Having the prim and proper façade that her former house took pride in, she politely evaded his advances. The guy couldn’t even take a hint and she was sorely tempted to call security on him. That had been the worst encounter she had the misfortune of being part of and it couldn’t have ended quicker than she hoped it would. If she had to treat another disgustingly flirtatious patient again then it would be too soon.

If her morning wasn’t already awful as it is then she had to run into Healer Baddock. He was one of those that had a ‘mightier-than-thou’ attitude, brusque, superior and conceited as if anyone he came across was supposed to feel lucky to be in his presence.

_The ‘o’ in his Baddock should’ve been an ‘i’ because he’s such a dick. Bad dick heh._

At around 12, she had finally plodded into her office, collapsing on her chair and slumping against her desk on her way to the land of dreams when her door burst open, instantly sending her sitting bolt upright. No sooner than that did she find Oliver Wood- Hottest Keeper of the Year and one of the Top 100 Most Eligible Bachelors of Year, both according to Witch Weekly- plopping on the chair before her.

“I take it that the family dinner didn’t go well last night,” She arched a brow, propping her cheek against her hand as the haze of exhaustion gradually cleared away after the abrupt entrance. She always knew Oliver Wood had a flair for dramatics, if he could a spare a minute of getting Quidditch out of his head, that is.

“Worse,” was his gruff reply.

“And pray tell, what made it worse?”

It was always comical for her whenever the Woods’ occasional family dinners rolled around. She knew Oliver loved his family very much but between his mother’s constant nagging on the topic of settling down and his sister’s goading (Oliver thinks the only normal ones in the family are him and his dad, she was quick to point out the inaccuracy on the former), he absolutely dreaded it. Cho thinks otherwise. Stories of his family dinner always make for a good laugh, for anyone who didn’t go by the name Oliver Wood, that is.

“She wants me to bring a girlfriend over during our St. Andrew’s Day dinner,” Oliver bit out.

Cho chuckled.” What? Your one-night stand buddies not worthy enough to be introduced to mommy and daddy Wood?”

“Are you crazy?” Oliver blanched, looking appalled.” My mother’s going to chew my head out.”

“What did she threaten you with this time?”

“Disowning me,” He muttered through gritted teeth.

She gave him a commiserating look.” That bad?”

“Maddy let it slip that she heard rumors of my casual er romances.”

“Is she getting the same ultimatum too?”

“No, which I don’t get since she’s years older than me, she should be the one mom’s badgering on about settling down.” Oliver huffed, his indignation making the lilt to his accent more patent.” But apparently, dad didn’t want his little girl bringing boys home until she’s 50 and probably, not even then.”

“Just get a girlfriend, Ol. It wouldn’t be that hard for someone who earned the title “Hottest Keeper of the Year”.”

“That again.” He muttered profanities under his breath, some of which she couldn’t quite catch due to them being exclusively Scottish.” And how would I even have the time to get a girlfriend before then?”

“It’s still six months away. You have time,” She assured him with a pat on his arm.

“But Quidditch-“

“Won’t be taken away from you. Seriously, you’re just getting a girlfriend, not asking someone to marry you.”

Oliver sighed, dropping his head on the surface of my desk.

“And don’t even think of banging your head on my desk. I just cleaned it,” Cho said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Oliver let a few moments of silence, and she was starting to think he had fallen asleep, before he spoke up.

“Remember how I told you that Connolly abruptly quit the team so our regular reserve chaser had to replace him?”

“Mhmm…”

“We got a new reserve chaser today. Turns out, she’s someone I know.”

“Oh?”

The poorly constrained impish amusement in her tone made his head perk up at the sound of it.

“ _‘Oh’_?” He parroted with a warry look.

“So she’s _that_ interesting,” Cho smirked.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not daft, Oliver. You spoke about your mom’s ultimatum before telling me about the new female chaser. Anything Quidditch-related usually comes first. You’re obviously hinting at a possible candidate to meet the family over dinner.”

“Wha-no- What? No, no,” Oliver spluttered, making Cho’s smirk stretch even wider.” You’re not helping matters here, Cho.”

“So who’s this girl?” She further prodded.” Do I know her?”

“Katie Bell.”

“Oh, I remember her. She was an impressive chaser, that one.”

“So enough about me.” Oliver was quick to steer the conversation to another direction and she let him, if only to cut him some slack.” How was your day so far?”

That was enough to prompt her to blather on to him about the skirmish that broke out in Diagon Alley, how she had to be woken up at 4 a.m. because of it, how horrible the frisky patient had been, how Baddock was being a git to her as usual (“Are you sure I can’t punch him in the face?” Oliver asked. “Yes.” “What if I just break his nose a little?”), how she had been up working for the past eight hours and how she was ready to keel over and die for she had been merely running on caffeine and pure determination before he burst into her office.

And as if on cue, her stomach growled, reminding her that she had skipped breakfast and it was already lunch time.

“Come on, let’s get some food in you,” Oliver said, making a move to stand from his seat.

“I’m just so tired to go out,” She groaned, her exhaustion creeping back in, along with her starvation that was just doing _wonders_ to her stomach.

“This is why you never get taken out, you know,” Oliver grumbled.

“Unlike you, I have standards I’m set on.”

“Now, you’re starting to get cranky from hunger,” He pointed out.” Come on, I’m paying.”

Cho considered this for a moment before standing up.

“If it’s not too much to ask for, can we eat somewhere we won’t get accosted by paparazzi’s?” Cho shuddered at the thought of the last time they had lunch together and she found pictures of it plastered on the front page of the Daily Prophet. She did not feel like being the center of Rita Skeeter’s latest conspiracy theories.

“Don’t worry, I know a place,” He assured.” Although, do you have enough time for lunch out?”

“Yeah, they gave me two hours of lunch break since I’ve been up working non-stop since 4.”

She continued pressing him for more information about their newest reserve chaser as she let him lead her out of her office and into the nearest Apparition point, with Oliver receiving not so subtle coy looks from more than a few medi-witches and healers. She had to bite back a giggle when Rhosyn, the perky blonde medi-witch at the front desk, tried so hard to get Oliver to notice her, batting her perfectly curled eyelashes and talking more vivaciously than usual.

“Quite the fanclub you have, Wood,” Cho smiled slyly.” Why don’t you ask one of them out?”

“I thought we already talked about this, _Chang_ ,” He pointedly said.

A few minutes later they found themselves at one of the less crowded parts of Diagon Alley. The place Oliver was referring to was a quaint hole-in-the wall bistro with bell shaped awnings and French chairs littered outside it, along with some round tables, attached to white umbrellas.

“Weasley twins at 10 o’clock,” Cho pointed out as soon as she spotted the notorious pair seating a few seats away from the counter, when they entered the bistro.

Fred (or was it George?) was quick to notice them and waved them over. Cho, being the polite person that she wretchedly is, approached their table, dragging Oliver with her.

“Morning, Wood,” George greeted, grinning. The innuendo didn’t go unnoticed by her, and judging from the exasperated look on Oliver’s face, it didn’t escape him either. She wasn’t even sure if the greeting applied anymore since it was well past morning already. It just goes to show that the twins never let an opportunity of poking fun at Oliver pass them by.” Hello, Cho.”

Cho returned the greeting amiably with a smile. Fred invited them to join them to which she agreed and so did Oliver, albeit reluctantly.

“What are you two doing here?” Oliver looked askance at them, settling on the seat next to Cho.

“Well, not everyone lives, eats, and breathes Quidditch like you, Oliver,” Fred replied. That seemed reasonable enough since their shop wasn’t that far from the bistro. But from what she’s known of Molly Weasley, the woman took joy in making meals for her children (and people, in general) and the twins usually ate lunch at the Burrow. Seeing them eat lunch out, Cho was certain they’d gotten themselves in trouble again, but hey, what else is new?

“Yeah, we need sustenance too,” George added.

“I thought you live, eat, and breathe to torment others,” Oliver grumbled.

“That too,” George agreed, moving to devour another chicken leg after finishing the previous one.

After they both gave their order to a waitress, Fred leaned closer to her to ask,” What’s wrong with Olikins?”

“Don’t call me that,” Oliver hissed, eyes narrowing.

“His mom wants him to bring a girlfriend over dinner for St. Andrew’s Day.”

“Traitor.”

“Maybe the problem is it’s not a _girl_ friend he wants but a _boy_ friend,” George pointed out, chomping on a chicken leg.

Cho shrugged.” Makes sense.”

“ _‘Makes sense’_?” Oliver reiterated, aghast at the blatant betrayal.

“I was convinced you and Percy Weasley were totally gay for each other back in Hogwarts.”

Fred snickered.” Who’s to say they aren’t anymore?”

“You guys were even roommates,” George piped in.

“Along with two other blokes,” Oliver shot back.

“I could see you two swapping diagrams and statistics as a way of flirting.” Cho guffawed.

The twins joined in, throwing their heads back and laughing with her. Oliver, however, looked none too pleased.

“Sod off.”

“Or if not Percy, then probably Marcus Flint.” Fred grinned wickedly.

“All that sexual tension could’ve burned down the whole pitch,” George concurred.

Cho inadvertently let out an unladylike snort of laughter over her glass of water.” I knew there was something there.”

“Shut it, Chang.”

“Or…” George started and if it was even possible, their grins stretched wider as they seemingly exchanged a silent look for a split second.

“You could bring Cho over for your family dinner,” Fred continued.

Cho choked on her water, coughing and spluttering. Both Oliver and her had horrified looks plastered on their faces.

“Don’t even go there.” Oliver scowled.

“It’s not a funny joke,” Cho managed to say after getting over her coughing fit.

“But why not?” George asked.

“Because it’s how it is,” Cho answered.

“You guys would make a great couple. Oliver’s a keeper afterall,” Fred grinned, receiving a high five from his twin after his brilliant (?) pun.

“That wretched pun again. It’s not even funny.” Oliver cursed

“Besides, Oliver has his eyes on someone.”

“A girl?” Fred inquired.

“Yup.”

“Hey, Fred, didn’t you say Flint had a sister?”

“George, if you’re thinking wh-“

“Sod off, you buggers.”


	2. Chapter 2

Cho’s eyes flung open at the sound of a muffled “poof” somewhere inside her flat, her disheveled ebony locks were haphazardly splayed across her pillow. Bleary-eyed, she scanned her gaze around her bedroom. The lack of sunlight filtering through her partially drawn curtains indicated that it was earlier than her usual waking hour. Making out soft footsteps, the last vestiges of sleep evaporates faster than trickles of water off hot pavement, making her drink in the abrupt awareness of her senses as the images of her pleasant dream was replaced by visions of the early morn. She stole a glance at the muggle alarm clock her mother had gotten her before she started her residential program at St. Mungo’s. She bit back an indignant groan as 6:10 a.m. glared back at her in glowing green colors.

Not even bothering to do anything about her bedraggled hair, rumpled sleepwear composed of an old Tutshill Tornados Quidditch shirt and cotton lounge shorts, she yanked open the door and quietly padded to her living room where the light was on.

“Ol, I know you’re a morning person and all but this is just getting ridiculous,” She said, not feeling an ounce of surprise to find an equally disheveled looking Oliver Wood lounging on her settee. While her rumpled look had successfully made her look like a slob with nest for a hair, the bedhead he was supporting didn’t even make him any less attractive. It’s not even the ‘messed-up-hair-sticking-all-over-the-place’ kind of bedhead it was ‘tousled-but-dapper’ kind that went well with his jawline and she was fairly certain that, like her, he had just rolled out bed.

“Good morning too, Cho. Uh, you have a bit of a drool right there.” He grinned, gesturing at the right side of his own mouth.

Drawing out her wand where she had placed it in the back pocket of her shorts, she muttered a quick _accio_ and summoned a handheld mirror. When she didn’t see any dried drool on her face, she noticed Oliver’s lip twitching in an effort to hold back the laughter from spilling out. She had half a mind to hurl the mirror at him for the ruse and risk the wrath of his fans for damaging their precious _“Ollie Bean’s face”_.

“You’re awful,” She hissed, shooting him a withering look. Well, forgive her for falling for it since there had been some nights that she’d go to bed tired to the bone and (just a few times, she swears) wake up with drool at the corner of her mouth. It was natural. She refused to think there was something shameful about it. Drooling in sleep is fairly common. Everyone does it once in a while.

Oliver snickered. “It’s not polite to be this grumpy early in the morning.”

“It’s not polite to be such a git early in the morning,” She mimicked, mocking his Scottish accent which she knew was one of his pet peeves.

“Real mature, Chang.”

“Well, pardon me for not meeting your expected level of maturity. Sleep deprivation due to being woken up so early in the morning tends to do that.” She quipped.” So what brings you here?”

“Awh, can’t I visit once in a while?”

“At 6 in the morning?”

“I’m a morning person.”

“Yes, yes, we already went over that. Let’s get to the part where you tell me the reason as to why you’re here? Any time this year, perhaps?”

“You see…”

“Your one-night stand overstayed, didn’t she?” Cho arched a brow, looking at him in wicked amusement.” You brought her to your place? My, this is uncharacteristic of you, Wood.”

“Not that I’m condoning your promiscuous behavior, of course,” She added as an afterthought.

“She was in the bathroom when I woke up, doing that weird thing where women reapply their makeup.”

“And you thought it was good idea to abscond here… yet again.”

“And visit my amazing friend,” He nodded, giving her a smarmy, unctuous smile.

“You know that won’t work on me, right?”

Oliver shrugged.” Well, I tried.”

“How long are you going to stay here?” Cho inquired, moving to plop on the settee next to him, indicating her assent.

“Just brimming with ardor at my stay, aren’t you, Cho?” He playfully poked her which earn him a swat on his hand.

“Yes, do forgive me if I can’t be more like your fangirls.” Then in a comical way, she made her voice chirpily high-pitched and mimicked the aforementioned star-struck fangirls.” Oooh, Ollie Bean! Can I have your autograph?”

“Ha. Ha. Very funny.”

“You’re much more handsome in person? Can I see your broomstick?” She continued in that mocking, dreamy voice.

“I’ve never thought I’d see that day prim and proper Cho Chang makes an innuendo.”

“Well, being asked more times than I can count if “it’s the _Wood_ that makes it good” does things to people. Apparently, saying the woodwork on the newest model of the Firebolt is actually quite good is the wrong answer,” Cho replied dryly.” Also, I can’t help it if you’re a walking innuendo.”

Oliver guffawed, doubling over in fits of laughter.

“I’m glad you find my harrowing experiences entertaining.” She deadpanned.

After his guffaws subsided into soft chuckles and subtle sniffles, Oliver said,” I can just imagine your face after some fan asks ‘so is it true? Is it the wood that makes it sooo good?’. Hilarious.”

“Horrified.”

“Probably scarred you for life.”

“Yup, I’ve never been the same after that event.”

“Uh-huh, how can I make it up to you?”

“Tea and breakfast would do.”

“So, Ms. Chang.” Oliver coyly smirked.” How’d you like your eggs in the morning?”

“Oliver!” Cho yelped.” I’ve had enough innuendos for a lifetime.”

“Not when you’re friends with me, you’re not.”

“Splendid.”

A little while later, two cups of tea, along with a sugar-dish and a cream-pot, were laid out on her kitchen island while Oliver prepared breakfast with practiced ease. From what she knew and what Oliver had regaled her with, Mrs. Wood made it a point to teach her children their way around household chores, especially tasks in the kitchen. The younger of the Wood siblings was a decent cook and it wasn’t above him to use this skill whenever he wanted to be in her good graces in compensation to certain favors.

Though, far be it from her to condone his morning invasion (and activities the night prior), there were certain merits to this. She was more than competent in making her own meals however, with long shifts at the hospital, she had long opted to get as much sleep as she can and that often lead to having less time to cook. Her usual breakfast menu was generally comprised of cereals, bagels, or, if she had a tad bit more time, buttered toast with jam. Cooking would eat up more time off her schedule, that’s what she had come to terms with.

“Hey, do you still have those square sausages I made you buy?” Oliver asked, pulling her icebox open.

“You mean the ones you _terrorized_ me into buying?” Cho stated.” Yup, I barely nicked them.”

With a too gleeful ‘Aha!’, Oliver brought out the Scottish delicacy after locating them.” Can’t have breakfast without its most essential part afterall.”

Cho rolled her eyes.” You’re as Scottish as Square sausages.”

“Why Ms. Chang, was that another innuendo?”

“Why do I even bother?” Cho grumbled.

Oliver chuckled.” Besides, I never commented about how you’re as Asian as rice, you know.”

Cho stopped herself from pointing out that she was only part Asian. The excuse sounded lame, even to her.

“And remember that time you nearly chewed my head off because you claimed I was cooking the rice wrong?” Oliver teased.” I mean, how could I even get it wrong? The rice cooker does most of the task.”

“You were using all those unnecessary measuring cups when I told you to just use the lines on your hand.”

“And I still don’t get that part.”

* * *

So far, Cho mused, the day had been somehow uneventful (but productive) in comparison to the previous one. She started her shift at St. Mungo’s by performing rounds. She went to check on various patients, visiting with some patients’ family members, taking vitals, and checking the patients’ status. Shortly after finishing her rounds, she began her patient appointments and there had been the occasional signing of forms or conducting necessary paperwork.

She glanced at the wall clock nearby. She still had two hours to spare before her next shift began. Smiling inwardly, the gears in her head start turning as an idea hit her.

She had enough time to pay a visit to Oliver at the pitch and perhaps, formally meet their new reserve chaser.

Not even almost running into Healer Baddock had dampened her mood as she made her way to the nearest Apparition point.

When she arrived at the Puddlemere pitch, the first thing she noticed was Coach Warbeck screaming at their beater, Alan Bagman, to quit hitting like a girl, albeit in a more colorful manner.

Cho couldn’t help but wonder if whoever wrote his birth certificate had spelled Warfreak wrong.

She spotted Oliver zestfully flying around the pitch with the same maniacal look in his eyes that usually manifests whenever he was playing Quidditch. He was confident and singularly determined at guarding the goalposts, successfully keeping away the quaffles.

A brunette with thin athletic build was hovering on her broom in front of him, a quaffle in hand. She surmised that the girl must be Katie Bell.

“Cho, came to finally accept that seeker position?” Philbert Deverill, Puddlemere U’s manager, grinned upon spotting Cho, approaching with his usual lighthearted comment about joining them.

“Hello, Phil,” She greeted politely.” Last time I checked Benjy had been doing great as a seeker.”

“The reserve seeker position is still open.”

“You know, I’m honoured by the offer but the answer’s still no.”

“Oh well, one of these days we’ll finally get you to join us.” Philbert declared.

“Speaking of, I heard you got a new reserve chaser.”

Cho regarded said chaser as she faked right and passed left. Oliver, unsurprisingly, easily caught the quaffle and tossed it back.

“Yes, I heard she was in the same team as Oliver back in Hogwarts. Considering his er unstoppable drive, I’m surprised the girl’s still in one piece and determined at playing pro.” At this statement, Cho chuckled.” So far, she had shown great potential. Our scout said as much.”

Cho winced as the bludger beater Ritchie Coote had aimed at Katie collided with her arm. She had no doubt that if it weren’t for her tight grip, the force would’ve knocked of the quaffle from her grasp.

“Come on, Bell. I taught you better than that!” Oliver bellowed, goading her as he caught another quaffle again.

Between Oliver shouting lectures at her, Coote’s attempts at decapitating her with every bludger that came near him, and the pointed looks fellow chaser Wilda Griffiths had been throwing her, Cho honestly felt sorry for the girl.

Well at least Coach Warfr- er Warbeck was still preoccupied with screaming at Alan to berate her.

Oliver was still lecturing Katie even when Coach Warbeck had called it a day and the players had gotten off their brooms.

“Honestly, Bell, you sucked today,” Oliver said which earned him a glare from the girl.

“Give her a break, Ol,” Cho pointedly remarked.” She landed more than a few shots. It wasn’t that bad.”

The two were torn from their conversation to see her there.

Cho knew the girl was in the same year as her back in Hogwarts. They hadn’t really interacted much and from what she could remember, the girl still looked the same when she last saw her. She had the same stringy dark brown hair held together in what looked like a hastily done ponytail, hazel eyes, and a thin athletic build that made her shoulders and hip measurement look nearly the same.

Oliver shot her a wary look.” What are you doing here?”

Cho flashed him an innocent smile.” What do you mean? I occasionally visit the pitch. Am I not welcome here anymore?”

“You’re always welcome here, Cho,” Ritchie coquettishly commented, winking at her as he, along with a few players, made their way to the locker room.” Oliver’s just being a prat.”

“Sod off, Coote. Chang’s not interested,” Oliver bit out.

Cho rolled her eyes before turning to Katie and smiling.” If you don’t mind, I can have a look at that bruise.”

Katie looked at her with inexplicable uncertainty before consenting.” Sure.”

With a simple healing charm, the nasty bruise that mottled her arm was gone, along with the pain.

“Thanks.”

Shortly thereafter, Cho found herself waiting outside the locker room for Oliver to emerge. She had been mentally going over the list of potions she needed to restock on when she noticed Katie walking out of the girl’s locker room. Behind her, Cho noted, Oliver had quietly left his.

He wordlessly grabbed the arm where the bruise had been. Acting on pure instinct, Katie elbowed him.

Cho winced. _That has got to hurt_.

“Wood!” Katie screeched.” What in Merlin’s name were you doing?”

“Must you always be so violent, Bell?” Oliver replied, rubbing the spot where she had hit him.

“I took a bludger there,” Katie growled, narrowing her eyes at him.

“Growling like a feral dog isn’t lady-like,” He pointed out, amused.” Have you always been this grumpy?”

“Just after a long practice.”

“It wasn’t that bad,” Oliver said with an air of nonchalance.” You’re still in one piece, aren’t you?”

“I survive you, didn’t I?” She shot back pointedly.

“It was never my attention to try and kill you.”

“I’m so sorry if I had the sense to know that training when there was storm going on could’ve killed us.”

“It was just a light downpour.”

“Outdoor classes had to be cancelled because of that.”

“But not Quidditch.”

Katie groaned in exasperation.” How can your girlfriend even stand you?”

Oliver looked at her questioningly.” Girlfriend who?”

“Cho Chang. You know, extremely pretty, shiny black hair, popular and one hell of a seeker, besides Harry, of course”

He let out a snort of laughter.” She’s my bestfriend.”

“Oh. I thought…”

Cho, as much as she was enjoying their interaction, decided it was time to make her presence known. “Hi guys.”

Oliver arched a brow at her, chary.” How long have you been there?”

“Not long enough.” She gave him an innocent look.

Oliver clearly didn’t believe this, it was written all over his face. He knew she was up to something.

He wasn’t wrong, Cho was inwardly grinning. She turned to Katie.” We’re heading out for an early dinner. You can join us. You know, catch up, reminisce about old times and all.”

This earned her a good-natured smile from the girl, a tinge sheepish. “Thanks for the offer but I have dinner plans with Alicia and Anj.”

* * *

“What was that about?” Oliver shoot her piercing look once she made herself comfortable on the chesterfield of her office, her hands in the process of opening the takeaway boxes on the table in front of her.

“What?” Cho voiced, nonplussed.” I was just being polite.”

“By inviting her to dinner with that gleam in your eyes?”

“What gleam in my eyes?”

Oliver wasn’t having it.” You’re scheming something.”

“Ol, I’m a Ravenclaw. We plan, not scheme.”

“Yup, you’re definitely up to something.” Oliver sighed, grabbing his own takeaway box and settling next to her on the divan.

“You know I always I have your best interest in mind, right?” Cho smiled, a little too brightly perhaps.

“If you’re planning on setting me up with her, please don’t.”

“Why?” Cho blinked.” I like her.”

“Then why don’t you ask her out instead?”

Cho rolled her eyes.” She doesn’t take crap from you, and she certainly doesn't worship the ground you walk on.”

“She’s too aggressive…”

“I always had the impression that you had a thing for aggressive ones,” Cho said with a straight face.

“Yes, in be-“

“I don’t want to hear it, Oliver Wood,” Cho sharply cut off him off with a chiding look.

Oliver grinned, knowing it would tick her off even more.” Prude.”

“Just because I want to live my life in a more dignified and sophisticated manner doesn’t make me prude.” She gave him a dirty look.

“Oh yeah, when was the last time you got taken out?”

Cho suppressed a glower, refusing to bristle and give him the satisfaction.” That’s beside the point.”

“Last time, I checked we were talking about your lovelife, Wood.”

“No need to worry yourself further, Cho. I’m charming enough to get a girlfriend before St. Andrew’s Day.”

“Along with the whole commitment that comes with it?”

“Yup.”

“Are you sure?”

“Your faith in me astounds me.”

Cho quirked a brow.” And if you get disowned?”

“Maybe I’ll just do some serious groveling on mom.”

“Then you better start working on that groveling.”


	3. Chapter 3

_‘Meet me outside Whiz FM radio station after work. –Oliver’_

The words were written in that familiar scrawl that was a jumble of cursive and print. Oliver had always been convinced that doing it in that manner is the faster way. The paper had many crease lines, attesting to how many times it had been folded and unfolded. Cho knew Oliver well enough to know that he had probably grab the first paper he had gotten his hands on, regardless of how old the parchment had been, and cut out an unwritten part of it.

Oliver’s long eared owl, Xander, only named after the guy who founded Quidditch, had delivered the letter while she was in the middle of her lunch break. Comically enough, she had exchanged an odd look with Xander upon reading the content of the note before she had sent him away with a treat and a brief reply of assent.

That had been hours ago and it was already mere minutes before the end of her shift. Casting another wary glance at the note, she plucked it off from her table and pocketed it. When the clock indicated it was the end of another work day, she made her way to the nearest Apparition point, politely exchanging goodbyes with her co-workers on the way.

“Took you long enough,” Oliver huffed as soon as she arrived outside the art deco styled building of the radio station.

“Hello to you too, Oliver,” She wryly replied.” You never did tell me why I had to be here.”

“Lee Jordan moved to a new flat. The girls and the twins are throwing him a housewarming party.”

Cho arched a brow at this.” So you were tasked to distract Lee Jordan, huh?”

“Uh yeah.”

“And you needed my help for it?”

“Nope, I just thought it would be fun to have you tag along.”

Just as she was about to retort, she spotted a familiar looking bloke, with dreadlocks and dressed in the colors of the radio station company, walking out of the radio station entrance. “Lee’s leaving.”

Oliver spun around to see the Quidditch commentator and called him over, instantly getting his attention.

“Oliver!” Lee Jordan grinned, then he turned to her, good-naturedly smiling.” And Cho.”

“Hello.”

“Not that I’m not glad to see you two, but what are you doing here?” Lee regarded them dubiously.

“Can’t I visit my favorite commentator once in a while?” Oliver smoothly replied with a grin.

“I thought Ulysses Lynch was your favorite commentator?”

Cho coughed into her hand, stifling back her urge to laugh at how Oliver was off to a bad start at distracting their friend. With the way he was going, Lee was bound to know something was up sooner or later.

For a split second, Oliver’s eyes darted to her before replying. Clapping his hand on Lee’s shoulder as if it was meant to be reassuring, he said,” Nah, it’s you, mate.”

Lee Jordan gave him an odd look.” What’s going on, Oliver? I’m pretty sure you didn’t come here just to tell me that I’m your favorite Quidditch commentator.”

Oliver bit his lip, as if he was stuck in a stalemate and mulling over his next course of action.” The thing is…”

She caught on the look that crossed fleetingly crossed his face. Uh-oh, she knew that look. He was bound to spill the truth and ruin the plan. Oliver could be such a bad liar sometimes. She decided to finally step in and help.

“We were in the area. We’re on our way to this café nearby, known for their amazing Scottish Macaroon bars. So I thought we’d drop by and invite you to join us.”

The wary look on Lee’s face immediately washed away and he smiled.” Sure. I guess the Macaroon bars were Ollie’s idea? Him being a hardcore Scot and all.”

Cho chortled and Oliver just pursed his lips, unimpressed.” Tell me about it. He still thinks square sausages are the greatest things since self-stirring cauldrons.”

“They’re the most essential part of breakfast,” Oliver defended, looking affronted as if she was spouting blasphemy. Knowing Oliver, for him, it probably is.

The café turned out to be a quaint little redbrick building shaped like an octagon located on a cobblestone street with hydrangeas climbing the front of it. The bell above the door chimed a pleasant melody when they entered. The interior held an air of vintage and rustic style with wooden tables and chairs, plump couches at one side of the room. Low hanging pendant lights illuminated the room and globe string lights stylishly lined the walls where it displayed cute moving doodles of different coffee cups and mugs, smoke billowing and milk shaped like galaxies spread over coffee, all painted in white like they were all drawn in chalkboards.

Lee ordered a Bundt cake and hot chocolate while Cho got pumpkin spice latte and shot a pointed look at Oliver when Lee had not been looking, glancing at the Macaroon bars in the menu, reminding him of their whole alibi so he ended up sharing the Scottish treat with her while he ordered a cup of black coffee for himself.

They easily fall into their usual conversation on Quidditch, Puddlemere’s last game, which eventually led them to debating about the latest broom models. And of course, Oliver took the opportunity of poking fun at Cho’s loyalty towards Tutshill Tornados, Lee playfully joining in.

“I’m just saying, what kind of fan would I be if I stop rooting for them just because they lost?” Cho reasoned, subsequently considering her next words and saying them anyway just to get a rise out of Oliver.” It’s like saying I’ll stop liking Quidditch just because it got cancelled.”

She triumphantly sipped her coffee as she heard Lee instantly sucking in a sharp breath, giving her a ‘you’ve done it now’ look.

“Blasphemy,” Oliver hissed.” You can’t cancel Quidditch. You should be burnt at stake for that.”

Lee let out a low whistle.” Too intense, mate.”

Cho just beamed at him, as if she hasn’t just annoyed him to the point of combustion.

“Sometimes, I wonder how you guys are even friends,” Lee remarked, his gaze raking over his two friends.

“Trust me, I’ve been asking myself the same question for years now,” Cho quipped.

“Glad I now know you feel about me,” Oliver dryly said, yet she knew he wasn’t being unkind. Banters weren’t uncommon with the two of them.

“I love you too, Oliver.” She impishly grinned.

“Just get married, why don’t you?” Lee raised a brow, looking at them in amused perplexity.

“Oliver has his eyes on someone,” Cho practically chirped in a sing-song tone as if she’d been waiting for the perfect opportunity to talk about it.

Oliver groaned, dry washing his face with his hand.” Is it really necessary to announce it to everyone all the time?”

“Not everyone,” Cho corrected in a lecturing tone.” Just a selected group of people.”

“So Ollie has a crush, huh?”

“Don’t call me that.” Oliver pinned Lee with a withering look.

“Not my story to tell, Lee,” Cho replied.

“Then what the hell have you been doing?” Oliver retorted.

“Not the entire story,” Cho added, leveling him with a look as if he was the one being impolite.

“Cho, you’re smart but you’re not a good matchmaker,” Oliver said with a straight face.

Cho gasped, slighted.” You’ve never even seen me matchmake someone.”

“I don’t need to. The status of your lovelife is proof enough.”

“What lovelife?” Lee blurted out, not being able to resist goading his friend.

“Exactly.” Oliver grinned, giving Lee a high five.

* * *

In the end, they parted ways with Lee Jordan and Oliver successfully side-along apparated them to the commentator’s apartment before he could arrive. Angelina and Alicia had set out a table covered in red cloth trimmed with golden linings. Gryffindor colors, Cho noted. It was laden with different food and drinks. Katie was adjusting a large card that said ‘Home Sweet Home’ on top of said table. George was examining the streamers and Fred was haphazardly adding the finishing touches to the decorations on the wall.

“Okay, places, everyone,” Angelina announced, ushering everyone to stand before the decorated table, facing the front door.

Someone uttered ‘nox’ and the all the lights went out. As if on cue, there was a muffled ‘poof’ outside the front door before it swung open.

**_“Surprise!”_ **

Lee Jordan nearly jumped out of his skin. A look of surprise registered on his face, gawping at them before a grin crept onto his face. At the sight of his positive reaction, everyone clustered around him, greeting and joking around.

Not wasting any more time, they dug into the variety of food and drinks spread on the table.

“You know, you should really start eating healthier,” Oliver told Katie as she devoured another slice of pizza, practically oozing extra cheese.” Considering, you’re a professional Quidditch player.”

“Might I remind you of the bleacher sprints and suicides we had to do during practice,” Katie shot back.

“It wasn’t that bad,” Oliver pointed out.

“Not bad?” Katie growled.” I suppose it was just light exercise for you, huh, Wood?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. Let’s not forget that this is the guy who’d make us practice until our brooms would practically fuse with our flesh,” Angelina said.

“I never did that!” Oliver protested.

“And that time he made us practice during a storm,” Alicia piped in.

“By the way, how many times have you cried over Quidditch, Oliver?” Katie asked, grinning.

“None of your business.”

Just as Cho had been enjoying the direction their conversation was headed to, Fred and George, who’ve disappeared to the kitchen, re-entered the room. In their hands were the presents for Lee Jordan before they deposited them on the coffee table.

“We come baring gifts,” Fred declared, passing to Lee a parcel with an ugly brown wrapping paper creased over its content, too much white masking tape stuck here and there.” It’s from me and Fred.”

“Well, go on, open it,” George enthusiastically gesticulated.

Lee uttered a ‘thank you’ before ripping open the present. Several Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes products spilled out. Suffice it to say that no one was surprised at their choice of presents.

Angelina gave Lee a bunch of funny kitchen towels. Lee had a laugh at one particular towel that had a doodle of a Bundt cake with a caption ‘I like big bundts and I cannot lie’.

Alicia’s gift was a muggle alarm clock that was shaped like a snow globe, sans the snow part, with a Quidditch pitch inside and the display screen at the middle, just outside it. This was a jab at Lee’s tendency to be tardy.

Cho caught the astonished look on Oliver’s face, which he tried to hide with a look of feigned nonchalance.

“I would’ve given it to you on your birthday, Oliver, but knowing you, you don’t need an alarm clock. You’ll probably wake up before it,” Alicia japed.

“I remember those times he woke us up at five in the morning with bagpipes,” Fred recounted.

A brown gift bag was handed to Lee Jordan and Oliver smiled proudly. Apparently, it contained a few autographed equipment and a poster of Oliver Wood himself.

“Seriously,” Cho scoffed. She fake-coughed something that sounded like ‘narcissist’.

“I don’t remember you complaining when I gave you a poster of myself on your birthday,” Oliver accused.

“Because you were too busy wallowing in your narcissism to notice me complain,” Cho shot back, jabbing Oliver’s chest with every word.

Ending the banter before it could drag on longer, Cho picked up her present from the coffee table and set it in front of Lee.

Being the helpful friend that he is, Oliver had successfully forgone informing her that there was to be a housewarming party before that day so when she had excused herself back at the café, it was just her luck that she happened upon the bunch of knickknacks and other items the café sold. She ended up buying him a red ceramic travel mug with a fancy wooden lid.

The gift-giving session ended with Katie giving Lee a cookie jar with an image of a cookie wearing sunglasses and the caption ‘tough cookie’ on it.

“So I heard Oliver’s started seeing someone,” Angelina started.

“As in Hallucinations seeing someone?” Cho automatically scoffed, which was rewarded by a glare from Oliver. She deftly swatted away the popcorn he flicked at her.

“Where’d you hear that?” Oliver directed the question to Angelina.

“Witch Weekly.”

Oliver gaped.” You read that crap?”

“Wood, I work for Witch Weekly.” Angelina looked quite put out by his remark.

“Even worse!”

“Ha ha, I didn’t know you had a sense of humour.”

“And no, I’m not seeing someone,” Oliver responded then he shot Cho a firm look.” Nor am I having any hallucinations.”

“Just wanted to make sure,” Cho muttered.

“You sound awfully disappointed,” Oliver pointed out.” You were the one that checked me for any head trauma, remember? If I do have one then that means you didn’t do quite a good job at it.”

Cho pierced him with a scathing look.

“Wood, you’re forgetting she’s your healer,” George said.

“Yeah, if you suddenly die and it gets written off as due to a natural cause because you pissed off your healer, then that’s on you, mate,” Fred added.

“She’ll miss me too much to off me, right, Cho?” Oliver shrugged it off, slinging an arm around her shoulders.

Cho didn’t breathe a word of response to him, simply quirking a brow.

* * *

The soapy water haphazardly sloshed on the sink as the dishes washed themselves, the occasional clinking and clanging ringing out as it progressed. Cho casted a drying spell on the cups that had already been washed, finding herself absentmindedly staring at colors shimmering and whirling at the bubbles that drifting over the suds.

A Weird Sisters song blared from the wireless in the living room where everyone was mingling and getting together. Cho had disappeared to the kitchen a couple of minutes prior, depositing the tray of used plates and cups to the sink and opting to wash the dishes.

“There you are,” Lee said as he walked into the kitchen, placing a few used bowls on the sink.” Oliver mentioned something about your socializing limit or something. What’s that about?”

“He has a knack for detecting when I want to go home during parties.”

“That’s amazing and at the same time weird.”

“I know but it has its merits.”

“So are you at that limit?” Lee questioned.” Is that why you’re here, staring at the dishes washing themselves?”

“Not really,” Cho noncommittally replied.” How’d you like your surprise?”

“It was great. I really appreciate it,” Lee grinned.” I’m curious about something though.”

“What’s that?”

“Are you trying to set up Oliver and Katie?”

Cho arched a brow.” Did Oliver tell you that?”

“Nope, but he was complaining about you trying to play matchmaker.”

“Probably whinging about how he thinks I’m terrible at it. That prick,” She grumbled.” So what do you think about the match?”

“Well, Katie’s hot.”

Cho snorted.” You’re such a guy.”

“And I think there’s a history there,” Lee said, which instantly caught Cho’s attention.

“Oh?”

“Everyone in their Quidditch team was betting they’d end up together.”

“I knew it!” Cho could barely keep the giddiness from seeping into her tone.

“Not sure if there was something or it was just the rest of the team being delusional.”

“Just how you thought there could be something between you and Angelina?” Cho shot back.

“Oi. I’m not Oliver, don’t attack me.”

“One of these days, I’m getting the two of them together.”

Lee chuckled.” Why Katie Bell though?”

“I think she’s good for him.” Cho smiled.

“Someone who could take him down a notch or two?”

“Take who down a notch or two?” Oliver inquired, suddenly appearing inside the kitchen with Katie Bell, used bowl and spoon in their hands. There was a residue of what seemed like chocolate ice cream in them.

“You ate ice cream?” Cho exaggerated a gasp.” What ever shall happen to the girlish figure you have to maintain?”

“ _‘Girlish figure’_.” Oliver was doing a bad job at being subtle at flexing his muscles, Cho doubted that it was purely unintentional.” Anyway, Lee, carbs monster here, wanted to get more ice cream.”

“You weren’t complaining about carbs when I offered you that ice cream a while ago!” Katie indignantly protested.

“Okay, more ice cream coming right up,” Lee declared, leading Katie over to the icebox.

“What are you doing all the way here?” Oliver asked.

“Washing the dishes.” Cho gestured at the sink where the dishes were still methodically washing themselves.

“You do know, with the washing spell, you could have just left that, right?” Oliver cast her an odd look.” You’re not at your socializing limit, are you?”

“If I was, you’d be the first to know.”

“Good.”

“So…” A smile crept on her face.” Bell made you eat ice cream, huh?”

Oliver feigned a nonchalant expression.” It’s not like I hate it or something.”

“After lecturing her about eating healthier?”

“You’re getting too nosy.”

“I love you too, Oliver.” Cho laughed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: If anyone's still reading or interested in this fanfic, please let me know because if there isn't I'm gonna put this on a hiatus and get back to my other fanfics.

Cho lifted an eyebrow when she saw her next patient, grabbing his chart but not examining it yet.

“What was it this time?” Cho sighed.

“Bell nearly decapitated me with a quaffle!” Oliver snarled, his jaw clenched so tightly she feared it would snap.

“So she scored past you?”

“Yes, if my head was the goalpost,” Oliver sardonically shot back, his eyes narrowed.” If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve believed that her goal was to knock me off my broom and make me hit my head against the goalpost.”

After going over his chart, Cho moved to examine his head. “Were you nagging her again?”

“I was only helping her play better.”

“Oliver,” She admonished.

“That girl is driving me nutters,” He harrumphed.

“Say it again but with more feelings this time.”

“Are you kidding me?” Oliver’s jaw dropped in horror.” Even after this, you’re still trying to set me up with her?”

“Tough love,” She muttered, carefully moving his head to set a diagnostic spell on it.

 ** _“Tough love?!”_** He was practically yelling in indignation.

While Cho continued running the diagnostic spell on him, she let him grumble and grouse. Despite being vexed, there was no telltale hard edge to his tone and rigid fury smoldering behind steely eyes so she opted to merely humour him with the occasional nods and _hhmmm’_ s.

“-And that nasal explosion of hers!”

Cho had just finished casting the last of her healing spells on his head, she looked up at him and gave him a funny look. “What.”

“Her growl!” Oliver wildly gesticulated.” It’s so- ugh!”

“It probably means she’s irked at something you’re doing. You have that talent, you know.”

“Me?” He gawked at her, incredulous.” I swear she’s out for my blood.”

“Oh, I wonder why,” Cho sarcastically said. Straightening to an authoritative height, she switched to what she liked to refer to as her healer mode.” Okay, you have a minor head injury. Some swelling, a few bruises and a small gash which I already patched up. No concussion. I’m certain that Phil gave you the rest of the day off so _please_ rest. With that, I can have you cleared to go home.”

“I can wait for you and we can leave together,” Oliver offered.” You’re cooking dinner though.”

“Thank you for making that decision for me, Oliver.”

“I knew you were going to offer to cook dinner anyway.” Oliver shrugged.” You always do that when I get injured.”

A certain warmness engulfed her at the knowledge that he notices and acknowledges the small things she does for him. Clearing her throat and composing herself, she spoke,” Oh well, my shift ends in a few hours.”

“And Cho, can you keep those overly eager nurses away from this room?” Oliver shuddered, the last experience with a nurse who had practically pounced on him and latched on to his leg while he tried to walk away was still haunting him.

“Oh I don’t know, Oliver.” She grinned mischievously.” If I’m not mistaken, more than half of the hospital probably knows you’re here right now.”

“Cho,” Oliver implored.

“I’ll try.”

Oliver smiled.” Thanks, Cho. You’re the best.”

“You’re only saying that because I’m saving your hide.”

“Just like how you never fail to do.”

Rolling her eyes, she said,” Take a rest, Oliver.”

“Duly noted, Healer Chang,” Oliver practically sang out.

* * *

“So what are you cooking for dinner?” Oliver asked languidly while he was sprawled on the chesterfield of her office.

An hour before her shift was to end, Oliver had decided he was bored with resting in his room and invited himself into her office while she was sorting through her paperwork. Like usual, he had immediately claimed the chesterfield there and had settled on talking to her to kill time.

“Spaghetti Bolognese,” Cho noncommittally replied, still immersed in the document she was scrutinizing.

“Cho?”

“What is it this time, Oliver?”

“Is mind-numbing boredom usually a side effect of a minor head injury?”

Cho heaved a deep sigh, exasperated. Turning her gaze away from her paperwork, she shot him a pointed look.” I don’t know, Oliver. You’ve suffered through more minor head injuries than any person I know, you tell me.”

“You’re a healer.”

“And you’re bothering me,” Cho quipped.” Now let me work in peace.”

“You did say I have the talent for it,” Oliver cheekily responded.” I have to use my talent lest I lose it.”

Crumpling a receipt from her recent grocery innocently lying on her desk, she hurled the ball of paper at Oliver’s head. He merely blinked at the attempt, unruffled.

“Was that supposed to do something?”

“Shut it, Wood.”

Oliver was still pressing on with his mission of getting a rise out of her when there was a knock on the door. With a perfunctory ‘come in’, a blonde medi-witch stepped into the office.

“Healer Chang, He-“ She instantly trailed off when her gaze landed on Oliver Wood stretched out on a chesterfield,”-Oliver Wood!”

“Yes, his name’s Oliver Wood, we all know that. Now Rhosyn, was there something you want to tell me?”

Noticing how long it took Rhosyn to tear her gaze away from Oliver, it must’ve taken great deal of willpower on her part to do so.” Uh Healer Bletchley requested your presence at Room 412.”

Oliver sat up, grinning playfully.” Can I tag along?”

“You certainly cannot!” Cho nearly screeched, aghast at the idea.

“Awww… but, Cho…”

“No, stay here,” Cho sternly commanded.

Even if she had already stepped through the threshold, she added,” I mean it, Oliver!”

The blonde medi-witch was still in the office, staring wide-eyed at Oliver that it was starting to unnerve him.

“Rhosyn!” Cho all but barked out and the medi-witch darted out to follow the healer.

Oliver snickered.

* * *

Oliver flopped on her settee with a weary sigh.

“All that pestering must have worn you out,” Cho scoffed.” Poor you.”

“But not as worn out as you after trying to focus on those paperwork and failing,” Oliver countered playfully with triumphant grin.

“Do you want me to let out rabid fangirls on you?”

That successfully shut him up.

Cho was in the middle of retrieving a packet of spaghetti sticks from a kitchen cabinet overhead, tiptoeing, stretching her arms, and even jumping to reach it to no avail, when Oliver casually padded into the kitchen.

“Do you need help with that?”

Cho whipped around.” I thought you were having a kip in the living room.”

“I wanted to grab a snack,” Oliver replied, plucking off an apple from her kitchen fruit bowl.

**_“You’ll ruin your dinner.”_ **

“It’s a healthy snack,” He nonchalantly said, taking a crunchy bite off his apple.” So do you need help?”

“No, I got it from here. Thanks for the offer though.”

“Okay.” He looked at her skeptically before plopping on the stool by her kitchen island.” I’ll just be here, waiting for you to grow a few centimeters some time this century, hopefully.”

Her gaze snapped back to him with a glare.

So she tried again and she couldn’t help but wonder how much longer her toes could handle with all tiptoeing she was doing. Getting a stool was not an option since that wouldn’t just bruise her pride but that would completely obliterate it.

After more futile attempts, Cho let out a defeated sigh and reluctantly looked at Oliver. “Uh Oliver…”

“Say it,” Oliver grinned.

With another sigh, she muttered,” Help me.”

Oliver easily crossed the distance between them, standing behind her and grabbing the packet of spaghetti from the cabinet.

Placing it on her hands, he said,” There, not so bad, isn’t it? I thought we established it by now that friends help out each other.”

“You were mocking me.”

Oliver exaggerated a gasp.” I was not.”

“You definitely were mocking me for being short.”

“No, you’re not,” Oliver said with a lopsided smile,” You’re just vertically challenged.”

“At least I’m not emotionally stunted,” Cho retorted before proceeding to prepare the saucepan on the stove.

“At least I’m not a Tutshill tornado fan,” Oliver teased.

He made his way back to the stool by the kitchen island, an indication that he was staying there and pestering her while she cooks dinner for them.

“Do you want arsenic in your dinner?”

“Depends on how you’re going to explain that to my healer,” Oliver playfully replied.

Cho rolled her eyes before resuming to flitting around the kitchen while she prepared dinner. At some point, Oliver offered to help wherein she tasked him with chopping some of the ingredients. They bustled around the kitchen like a well-seasoned team. Falling into an easy rhythm, both of them find themselves relaxing into the domestic tasks, a pleasantly mundane thing in their normally fast-paced daily lives.

“The twins and Lee Jordan are never going to let you live this down once they discover Bell managed to nearly maim you with only a quaffle,” Cho vocalized once they both settled on the dinner table.

“Considering they’ve been trying to achieve the same feat with their various concoctions and inventions.”

“You must have been such a tyrant of a captain,” Cho chortled.

“I was not,” Oliver shot back.” I just have an unwavering drive.”

“You mean you’re obsessed with Quidditch,” She flatly pointed out.” Were the bagpipes really necessary?”

“Bagpipes are necessary,” Oliver said matter-of-factly.” Speaking of Scots, can you help me pick a present for Maddie tomorrow?”

“Oh that’s right, her birthday’s this weekend, right?”

“Yup. The brat keeps complaining about my taste in gifts and if I don’t give her, she’s gonna talk my ear of about how I “owe” it to her for having to put up with me for years.”

“And kudos to your sister for that.”

“Here I thought being graced with my presence is more than enough as a gift.”

“We have got to work on reigning in that narcissism level one of these days.”

* * *

The next day found Cho leisurely sauntering towards the direction of the Puddlemere United locker rooms after her shift had ended, passing by Coach Warbeck who had replied to her cordial “hello” with a gruff reply of his own. Inwardly, she couldn’t help but think that this classified as a good mood for him. She had just turned a corner when she caught wind of a ruckus before catching sight of Oliver Wood being chased by a furious looking Katie Bell before the former abruptly skidded to a stop and deftly tripped a barreling Katie into an open broom closet, shutting it with a resounding slam before securing it with a lock and leaning on it just for extra measures.

Cho quirked an eyebrow in curious amusement.” Do I even want to know?”

Oliver merely looked at her with a look that said ‘No. No, you don’t.’

There were muffled screams from the broom closet that vaguely sounded like death threats that went along the lines of hexing Oliver to an inch of his life. Said broom closet rattled, wracked with thuds from the inside as a result of a wrathful girl’s attempts at kicking it open.

“Well, she certainly sounds livid,” Cho commented.

“Sounds?” Oliver echoed back in a disgruntled tone.” She tried to off me with a bat!”

“What did you do this time, Oliver?”

“Me?” Oliver gaped at her, affronted.” Why do you think it’s always my fault?”

She leveled him with a look that practically said ‘Are you really asking me that?’.

He averted his gaze from her before reluctantly muttering,” I accidentally made her drop the packet of biscuits she was munching on.”

Cho gave him a pointed look, disbelieving.” ‘ _Accidentally’_?”

“She overreacted,” Oliver lamely replied.

She inhaled, calming herself from further berating the buffoon.” Let her out.”

“Cho, she’s gonna kill me!” Oliver protested, grasping her arms as if putting a stop to her.

“Then my condolences.”

“I’m touched with your concern for my wellbeing,” He retorted, tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Open it.”

Oliver sighed, raising his hand in defeat before grudgingly unlatching the lock and instantly stepping away, grabbing Cho’s hand and sprinting to the nearest Apparition point. Briefly, Cho heard the door burst open behind her and the sound of Katie immediately springing out before they turned a corner.

“So, where are we going?” Oliver asked as soon they apparated to Diagon alley.

“An art shop,” Cho replied, leading him to a shop with ‘Magnum Opus’ written on its display in a looping font, supported by plymouth brick piers, with beige bulkheads, a comice in the same hue and rectangular transom windows.

A bell chimed when Cho pushed the recessed entry door open. Inside, there were row upon row of wooden shelving filled with a vast array of art materials.

“Doesn’t Maddie have enough materials already?”

“You can never have enough art materials, Oliver,” Cho pointed out with a grin.

Oliver snorted.

“So, how was your day?” Cho asked as the browsed through an aisle filled a wide array of stationaries.

“From what you’ve witnessed awhile ago, I think you get the gist.”

“Tough love,” Cho teased.

“You’re insane.”

“And you’re no fun.”

“I think I had enough fun for one day.”

Cho chortled, sauntering to another aisle.” The Great Oliver Wood running away from a girl.”

“I wasn’t running away, I was picking my battles.” Oliver glared at her.

“Sure, keep telling yourself that,” Cho quipped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: If anyone's still reading or interested in this fanfic, please let me know because if there isn't I'm gonna put this on a hiatus and get back to my other fanfics.

**Author's Note:**

> Please tell me I'm not the only one who considered this pairing.


End file.
